The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-18
BRITISH COMMISSION.
The Style tho Engllshmen Put On In
Washington.

MaAhlnBIon'
WASHINGTON, Nov. l7.--Mr. Joseph
Chamberlain and Sir Charles Upper, who,
with Minister West, constitute the COM
mission, on tho part Of Great Britain, to
secure settlement Of the yexed fisheries
question, arrived in the city this after
noon from New York. They were imme-
diately driven 10 the Arlington hotel,
where thirty-seven rooms had been en-
gagged for them and their party.
OF these thirtyscven rooms, five
were set apart for Mr. Chamberlain
personally, and eight or ten others are &C.
cupied by the Canadian member oil tho
party and the two gentlemen from the
British foreign office who accompany MIR.
Chamberlain. The other rooms are Tor
the personal attendants OF the commits
soncrs. Besides the two high commits
sioners, the party includes Messrs.
Maycock and Bergne, OF the
British foreign office; the Hon.
j. :. ID. Thompson, Canadian
minister of justice; Major-Gcneral
ID. X. Cameron, official secretary to
Sir Charles Upper; q. Q. Chapman, his
private secretary, and Wallace Graham,
his legal adviser The commissioners will
be presented to the President probably on
Saturday. Tho day for the beginning oil
the sessions OF the conference has not been
fixed, but il is thought probable that the
British commissioners will not require
more than few DAYS Tor consultation, and
that the more formal work OF the commits
sion will begin some time next week. IL
is probable that the sessions will be held
with closed doors.
Confusion ABOUT THE FISHERIES DISPUTE.
Sope confusion exists as 10 the functions
Of the fisheries commission, which II about
10 meet here, due, probably, to the iact
that commissions" have hitherto been
created only by treaty, and have had final
| jurisdiction over the matters submitted 10
them, whetherfor the settlement al bound
aries or the adjustment OF claims Tor dam
agcs.
The present commission comes together
with no other power than that OF free con-
| ference upon question which has prnc-
tically been an open one as long ms this
country has had an existence. Briefly
stated il has been from the beginning the
claim OF the United States that whatever
| privileges tho truatius with Great Britain
recognized "a due TO Americans wero
original rights, aud were not IN any sense
grants or concessions for which something
could be demanded in return. In other
words, when the territory once under the
control of Great Britain was divided, the
partition related 10 the land alone, the
/ rights upon the waters remaining common
TO the vessels OF both nations. This the
Britons have always denied.
The treaties and arrangements hereto.
fore made have been makcshiits, securing
a recognition OF our rights in one way OF
another, but merely Tor the time being
while pOstponing the main question indcii'
nitcly.
| The present commission may arrive nj
an Interpretation of existing treaties exact
| " defining the rights OF Americans, or,
finding that impossible, il may agree upon
some notifications 10 be recommended Ia
the trcaiy-making branch Of the two gov
crnmenls. In either oi which cases the
commission Will have accomplished the
purpose Of its creation.
The commission cannot deal under its
present powers with the question OF COM
mcrcal union with Canada, though II IL
not impossible that that subject may be
referred to IL by the two governments be.
fore III labors mc dead.
TKXT OF THE PRpupKST's LETTER To SPARKS.
The following h the text II the Prcsi
dents letter To Commissioner Sparks, nc
ccpting his resignation:
| ~ a